The Procurement Pathway
The Procurement Pathway
What is the Procurement Pathway?
The Procurement Pathway is an online guide produced by the Government Commercial Function that walks public sector teams through the full buying journey. It breaks the process into four clear phases: Plan, Define, Procure and Manage. Plan is about understanding the service you need, the market that can supply it and how the purchase supports your authority’s objectives. Define takes those ideas and turns them into a set of requirements that any supplier can understand and respond to. Procure covers the practical steps of preparing documents, inviting bids, evaluating them and making an award. Manage then explains how to keep the contract on track once the system is up and running.
Why is it important to be familiar with the Pathway as a planning service?
For a planning service looking to buy digital software, the Pathway sets out what happens, when and why. The tool links each activity to the relevant rules under the new Procurement Act, so you can see how your actions fit the law without trawling through the legislation.
You will still need support from your council’s commercial or procurement team, but the Pathway lets planners hold an informed conversation with them. By following its structure you can show auditors that decisions were taken in a logical, transparent way and you can spot potential delays early, for example if a dynamic purchasing system or a framework is the quickest route to market. For example, spend half an hour exploring the Pathway before you draft your specification and you will save time later, avoid common procedural errors and stand a better chance of choosing software that serves planners and applicants alike.
